Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for communicating with other apparatuses via a network.
Description of the Related Art
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-166577, there has been known a technique in which a wireless communication function is mounted on a data processing apparatus such as a digital camera and image data stored in the data processing apparatus is transmitted to an external apparatus. The use of the function allows the image data to be easily transmitted to the external apparatus.
In recent years, there has been known a digital camera on which a simple access point (for example a micro access point) function is mounted. When the digital camera starts the simple access point function, other apparatuses detect the digital camera as an access point and participate in a network formed by the digital camera. Thus, the digital camera can be easily communicated with other apparatuses.
A relay apparatus such as an access point generally used has a line connected to a public network and is capable of performing communication via the Internet. On the other hand, an apparatus such as a digital camera generally does not have a line connected to the public network. Therefore, if the apparatus participates in the network formed by the simple access point function, the apparatus may not be able to communicate with the external network such as the Internet.
As described above, the network formed by the simple access point function is different in characteristic from a network formed by a normal access point. However, in viewing from an apparatus participating in the network, it is difficult to discriminate the network formed by the normal access point from the network formed by the simple access point function.